Automatic flashing machine



May 3,1921. 1,626,695

H. M. ROBINS ET AL.

AUTOMATIC FLASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1923 INVENTOR HARRY M. ROB/NS JOHN \J- HIGGINS ATTORNEY Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MILTON ROBINS, 0F GLEN RIDGE, AND JOHN JOSEIH HIGGINS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FLASHING MACHINE.

Application filed October 22, 1923.

chine elements to semi-automatically per-' form a flashing operation without imposiug a mental effort upon an operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism in which lamp filaments may be flashed in a gaseous atmosphere by a continuous and automatic operator-controlled movement,

In the manufacture of incandescent electric lamps, it is desirable to subject a filament to a heat treatment while in an atmosphere of forming gas, for the purpose of setting the filament and causing it to maintain the required form as a light source.

The heating operation is usually accomplished by the passage of an electric current through the filament while disposed in a gaseous atmosphere to prevent oxidation. This heat treatment is commonly known in the art as a flashing operation. Heretofore the flashing operation has been performed by placing the filament on a carrier and manually causing the carrier to travel through the gas at which time the filament was heated. After heating for a given period, the operator removed the filament.

The flashing operation when performed manually, as above described, required a considerable amount of skill on the part of an operator inasmuch as it was necessary for the operator to judge when the filament had been subjected to the heat treatment for the required period. When relying upon human agency to determine the necessary heating interval. it is obvious that certain irregularities occur and that it is not always possible to obtain uniformly treated filament. Furthermore, a great deal of inconvenience and loss of time results when it becomes necessary to teach a new operator.

The present invention aims to remove the above disadvantages and provides a. ma-

Serial No. 669,913.

chine in which filaments may be quickly and uniformly subjected to the flashing operation and which will avoid the mental strain which has heretofore been imposed upon the operator.

To accom lish the above, a device is provided in which an apron or endless conveyor is adapted to move within a chamber containing a gaseous atmosphere. The conveyor is provided with a plurality of holders upon which lamp stems may be disposed for passage into and out; from the chamber. Means are provided for controlling the rate of movement of the conveyor and during a given state of its travel, an electrical current is caused to pass through the filament and heat it up to the required temperature. It will be understood that by reason of the mechanical operation of the conveyor, that a filament may be heated during a given portion of the travel of the conveyor and that the heat treatment may be timed and governed by the rate of travel of the conveyor. Thus any desired variation in the treating time may be attained by changing the rate of movement of the conveyor and such heat treatment may obviously be made uniform for each of the filaments subjected thereto. The conveyor may be controlled by a foot treadle manipulated by the operator to stop the flashing operation for the insertion and removal of stems.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side View in elevation, showing the flashing device, certain portions thereof being removed to more clearly show the interior structure;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the device shown in ig. 1;

Fig, 3 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1, portions thereof being broken away; and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary V ew showing mechanism for making an electrical circuit to heat a filament.

A flashing apparatus embodying the present invention may include a chamber 5 supported on legs 6 by means of straps 7, the legs being suitably fastened to a table or bench 6' The chamber may be in the form of a cylinder disposed with its longitudinal axis in a vertical position, the upper end may be closed by a cover plate 8 and the opposite end open for the passage of lamp mounts. Forming gas is supplied to the chamber from any suitable source through pipes 9 and 10 into the chamber. A suitable pressure gage 11 may be provided in the usual manner.

Mounted within the chamber is an endless chain 12 which may constitute a conveyor. The chain is movable upon gears or sprocket wheels 13 and 14. The sprocket 13 is mounted on a bearing 15 bolted to the chamber 5 and the sprocket 14 is mounted in a floating-bearing 16 attached to the chamber 5 by bolts 17 and 18. The

bearing 16 may comprise two members: the bearing proper and a retainer plate 19 having an ofl'set portion 21. The bolts 17 and 18 may pass through flanges on the bearing 16 and through the retainer plate and may be disposed in a slot 22 and in the wall of the chamber thus permitting vertical movement of the bearing.

For the purpose of maintaining the hearing in a normal lower position to keep the chain 12 taut. a spring 24 is disposed be tween the .ofiset portion 21 and a similar offset portion 25 secured to the chamber 5. The spring 24 thus normally urges the bearing 16 downwardly to take up slackness of the chain. Owing to the fact that the upper bearing 15 is disposed within the upper portion of the chamber and not accessible for lubrication, a lubricating passage 26 is provided extending exteriorlv of the chamber and communicating with a passage 27 for the purpose of admitting lubricating fluid to the journal of the bearing 15 which carries the sprocket wheel 13.

The chain 12 is driven through its association with a driving pulley 28 which may be connected by a belt 29 to any source of energy, for example, an electrical mo tpr, (not shown). The driving pulley 28 may run free on a shaft 30 iournaled in bearings 31" and 32. The shaft 30 is connected with a shaft 33 of the sprocket wheel 14 by a link 34., the link having universal connections 35 and 36 at its ends. for connection with the shafts 30 and 33. respectively. The universally connected link 34 allows for slight variations in the posi tion of the floating bearing 16.

cone-shaped member 37 may be splined on the shaft 30 and adapted to move longitudinally thereof, to frictionally engage with the walls of a conical recess 38 provided in the pulley 28. The cone member 37 is normally urged toward the pulley 28 by a spring 39 disposed on the shaft 30 and between a collar 41 abutting the bearing 31 and a collar 42 slidable on the shaft 30 and adapted to engage the member 37 or the collar may be integral with the said member. The collar 42 may be provided with an annular groove 43 for the reception of pins 44 carried upon a forked end of an arm 45 of a bell-crank 46. The bell-crank may be pivoted in a bearing 47 secured to a block or post 48 fastened to the table 6'. The opposite arm 49 of the bell-crank may be connected to a link 51 of any suitable form of foot treadle (not shown). Thus by actuating the bell-crank 46, the cone member 37 may be released from engagement with the driving pulley 28 thereby terminating the operation of the conveyor 12. Various forms of lamp stems or mounts may be handledby the present apparatus. The ones illustrated comprise the usual leading-in wires 50, flare tube '52, arbor 53 and exhaust tube 54 and a filament 55 to be treated mounted on supports 56, which project from one end of the arbor 53. As illustrated, the filament 55 is of zigzag or saw-tooth construction and it is desirable to maintain the various portions of the fila ment under tension during the heat treatment. For this purpose, a plurality of weighted members 57 are provided. Each member has a hook 58 by means of which the operator hangs one on each angular section of the filament. Thus the weights exert a downward force, the filament being retained by the supports 56 which results in a tension on the various sections of the filament.

The chain or conveyor 12 may be provided with mount supportsor carriers 59. A plurality of these supports may be provided at spaced intervals throughout the length of the conveyor and each support may comprise a bearing 61 (see Fig. 4) suitably secured to one of the links of the chain 12. A sleeve 62 may be disposed in, the bearing 61 and may project at opposite sides thereof. One end of the sleeve may be provided with a contact member 63 and the opposite end with a block 64. The sleeve may be loosely fitted in the bearing 61 and the contact member and block securely attached thereto. Thus, as the chain moves through its given path, the block and contact member may be maintained in their normal depending position through the action of avity. v The block 64 may be provided with oppositely-disposed spring clips 65 and 65 adapted to engage with the lead wires 50 and a slot 66 may be provided for the disposition of the exhaust tube. The block 64 may be of any suitable non-conductive material and a suitably insulated conductor 67 may be connected with the clip 65 and with the contact member 63. The clip 65' may be connected to a conductor 68 which may also be provided with an insulating cover- ;igg and connected with the contact mem- I heating it for the flashing operation.

As shown in Fig. 4, the contact member may comprise a block 71 which may be fibre and have contact surfaces or plates 72 and 73. The conductor 67 may be connected to the plate 72 and the conductor 68 may be connected to the plate 73. For the purpose of passing an electrical current through the filament 55, a pair of relatively long conductor members or strips 74 and 75 are secured within the chamber 5 and suitably insulated therefrom. The strips may be so disposed that the strip 74 may"engage with the plate 72 and the strip 75 may engage with the plate 73. Thus by connecting the strips to a suitable source of electrical energy, a contact between the strips and contact member 63 will result in a flow of electrical energy through the filament, 1111: will be'pbvious that the strips may be of any desirable length depending upon the length "of the flashing time interval desired. The strips 74 and 75 may be mounted on plungers 76 and 77, respectively, disposed in sockets 78 and 79 provided in brackets 80. The brackets may be secured to the chamber 5 and insulated therefrom. For the pur-i pose of providing a resilient contact between the contact member 63 and the strips, helical springs 81 and 82 may be disposed in the sockets to urge the strips into thepath of theplates 72 and 73. Each support may be .provided with a bafile plate 80' to prevent radiation of heat from the incandescent filament being transferred to the chain or other operable parts. The plate 80' may be hung on the sleeve 62.

In order to facilitate inspection of "the filament during the flashing operation, the

. of the operator.

In practice,- an operator may operate a foot treadle to terminate the movement of the conveyor. A mount' may then be secured in a support by inserting the leadingin wires beneath the clips and 65'. The

weights 57 may then be hung upon the filament to exert tensional stress thereon. The treadle may then be manipulated to cause the driving pulley 28 to movethe conveyor and as the mount is carried -i-nto,the chamber the contact members engage and the filament is brought to incandescenc'e; at which time, the operator may observe the lighted filament through the window 83. The continued movement of the chain operates to bring the mount out of the chamber and in position for removal by the operator.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it is obvious that other modifications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

electric lamp filaments mounted on stems having exhaust tubes, a chamber, .a conveyor, means associated with said conveyor to receive said exhaust tubes, means for engaging the leading-in wires of said stems for securing said stems to said conveyor and means for actuating said conveyor to move filaments into and out from said chamber and means adjacent to the path of movement of said chamber for passing an electric current through said leading-in wires to flash said filament while in said chamber.

A machine for flashing mounted incandescent electric lamp filaments comprising a chamber, a conveyor, means associated with said conveyor for engaging said mounts, tension members for engaging the leading-in wires of said mounts to support the same in depending positions, means for automatically actuating said conveyor to move said mounts into and out from said chamber and means within said chamber adjacent to the path of movement of said conveyor for passing electricalenergy through said leading-in wires to flash said filament.

4. A. machine for flashing incandescent electric lamp filaments attached to a lamp mount having an exhaust tube comprising a conveyor, a plurality of holders disposed in spaced relation on said conveyor, means associated with each holder for gripping leading-in wires of a mount to support the mount in a depending position, a slotted member on each of said holders to receive an exhaust tube to prevent lateral movement of the mounts during their travel with the conveyor and means for actuating said conveyor. p p

5. A machine for flashing incandescent electric lamp filaments attached to a lampmount comprising a conveyor, holders disposed in spaced relation on said conveyor, conduct1ve tension members on each holder for engaging leading-in wires of a mount, conductor strips disposed adjacent to the path of movement of said conveyor, contact members associated with said holders, and arranged to engage said strips, means for electrically connecting said tension members and said contact members and means for actuating said conveyor to cause a flow of electrical energy through said leading-in wires during a partial movement of the conveyor.

'6. A machine for flashing incandescent electric lamp filament attached to a lamp mount, comprising a chamber, means for providing an inert environment in said chamber, a conveyor movable into and out from said chamber, holders disposed in spaced relation on said conveyor, conductive tension members on each holder for engaging the leading-in wires of a mount, conductor strips Within said chamber and adj acent to the path of movement of said conveyor, contact members associated with said holders and arranged to engage said strips, means for electrically connecting said tension members and said cont-act members, and means for actuating said conveyor to move mounts into said chamber and cause a flow of electrical energy filament.

7 A machine for flashing mounted incan- 20 descent electric lamp filaments comprising a conveyor, a holder pivotally mounted on said conveyor and having resilient members to gri leading-in wires of a mount and a slotted member to receive an exhaust tube whereby the mount may depend and be held in vertical alignment during movement of said conveyor.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 20th day of October, 1923.

HARRY MILTON ROBINS. JOHN JOSEPH HIGGINS. 

